Generally, hail must be 1 1/4 inches in diameter (roughly half-dollar sized) before causing damage to heavy composite shingles or wood shake shingles. Lightweight composite shingles may show damage after being struck by 1-inch diameter (quarter sized) hail. Only deteriorated composite shingles will show hail damage due to hail less than 1 inch in diameter. The hail generally must be more than 3/4 inch in diameter (dime sized).
If you received hail large enough to cause damage to your roof, you may want to examine objects at ground level before calling your insurance company. Hail strong enough to damage a roof will cause damage to nearby cars, wood fences, shutters, and exterior siding. A significant amount of shingle granules appearing at the end of downspouts may show potential damage. However, granule loss does not prove damage.
An inspection of your roof can reveal other causes that could have led to damage. Types of damages to consider before assuming you have hail damage includes:
Embrittlement/Hardening
Each composite shingle has four layers:
- A mat composed of glass fibers or organic materials
- Asphalt
- A filler made of sand and limestone
- Granules made of crushed stone with a ceramic coating
When exposed to weather, the asphalt will harden, become brittle, and may demonstrate one of more of the following:
- Cupped or Curled Edges - As the outer edges of the shingle shrink faster than the interior, the edges tend to curl up or down
- Craze Cracks - Hairline cracks that appear in a random pattern throughout the shingle
- Horizontal, Vertical, or Diagonal Cracks - Caused by asphalt shrinking at opposite ends of the shingle. As these ends shrink, the middle of the shingle pulls apart, leaving a crack
- Discolored Streaks or Patches - Lichens or algae can grow on shingles in most weather conditions. The colors usually seen are green, brown, orange, gray, or a mixture of all
- Splices - Occasionally, a shingle is created at the place where one end of a roll of mat ends and the new one begins. The splicing together of the rolls leaves a double thickness of mat that does not allow the remaining layers of the shingle to be properly formed
- Blisters - Heat causes the asphalt to release gases which sometimes are trapped by surrounding layers. The resulting blisters can "pop", leaving pockmarks in the single. A blister does not have the characteristic "bruise" that can be felt in a shingle that was struck by a hailstone
- Diagonal Pattern of Deterioration - If you see a diagonal pattern of shingle deterioration or color gradation appearing across three tabs of shingles, it generally is a result of a manufacturer's defect in the single. The diagonal pattern shows up as a result of the pattern that was used by the roofer when installing that batch of shingles on your roof
- Rounded or Horseshow Shaped Areas - These areas, where the granules are compressed into the coating asphalt, and the granules themselves appear to have been rushed to a powder are caused by hammer damage. Such damage usually occurs near ridges
Hail damage will result in a random pattern of strike marks in various sizes. If you see a pattern to the damage, it was not caused by a random phenomenon like hail. Hailstones will also leave a "bruise" in the mat. Your fingers can usually detect in and around the crater.
After surveying the damage and you believe you have a hail claim, contact your insurance company or agent. An adjuster will be sent out to consider the extent of the damage. Depending on the circumstances, the adjuster may or may not require your physical presence to review the damage. You may wish to prepare a written list of items which appear to also be damaged like windows, shutters, siding, fascia, ceilings, satellite dishes, etc. for the adjuster's consideration.
You are responsible for taking any necessary steps to prevent further damage to your property after the hailstorm. If the necessary repairs must be done before the adjuster can personally inspect the damage, videotape or take good quality photographs of the damage. Retain damaged items like carpet or furniture for the adjuster to examine before discarding them.
Look over your insurance policy and become familiar with it. You may have additional coverage you forgot about or certain requirements a policy might have and additional exclusions not covered. If you have personal property, try to find as many receipts as you can to determine how much you paid for those items.
After inspection, the adjuster will prepare an estimate of the cost to repair your roof. Depending on the extent and nature of the damage, they may recommend repair or replacement. In addition, will calculate the Actual Cash Value of your roof immediately prior to the hailstorm. Your deductible will also be taken off the estimated ACV amount.
If your policy provides replacement coverage, the insurance company may pay you the difference between the ACV estimate and the cost to repair or replace the damaged area or items after the designated repairs have been made. However, you must make these repairs within a specific amount of time, usually 180 days. Your policy will specify the time requirements.
Check your policy's deductible. Some companies charge a higher deductible for wind and hail damage than for damage caused by other perils. If you believe repairs to your roof will cost less than the amount of your deductible, consider not filing a claim. Some companies will consider occurrences of wind and hail damage even if no money was paid out when they review whether to renew your policy.
If, after obtaining estimates from roofing companies, you find the adjuster's estimate lower than the roofers' estimates, let your adjuster know. There may be differences in materials or damage they can explain or resolve for you.
As a note, you may receive discounts on your homeowners policy if you rebuild with resilience upgrades such as impact-resistant roofing and siding, wind-resistant upgrades, or safety features such as automatic leak detectors.
After working with your adjuster and insurance company, if you believe they have not lived up to the provisions outlined in your policy, you can file a complaint with the Department of Insurance or contact a personal attorney. Please note the Department is an administrative agency and not a court of law. It is not able to decide questions of fact like whether or not damage to your roof was caused by hail or other factors.
It can review the company's handling of your claim to ensure it has complied with Nebraska's insurance laws.
